The Tudor Tattler: Tudor Tart - Elizabeth of York Tudor Tart - Elizabeth of York ﻿ Elizabeth of York ﻿ Elizabeth of York is probably best known as the mother of Henry VIII, and bride of Henry VII. She was born the daughter of Elizabeth Wydville (the "common" bride) and King Edward IV. Her younger brothers, Edward and Richard, are the mysterious Princes in the Tower. After her father's death, Elizabeth went into sanctuary with her mother. Her brothers disappeared and her uncle, Richard III was crowned King of England. Elizabeth was declared illegitimate by Richard. However, this didn't stop him from inviting her to court, as well as the rumors that he intended to marry her upon his sick wife's death. Some even speculated that he was poisoning his wife to marry Elizabeth, who, like her mother, was said to be charming and beautiful. However, when Richard's wife finally died there were no wedding bells. Rather, the trumpet of war was sounded as Henry Tudor invaded England. He defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and was crowned King of England. Rather, it was he that married Elizabeth of York, the closest living person to the throne.

﻿ Richard III ﻿ Why, do you ask, would I suggest Elizabeth of York as a Tudor Tart? I suggest it because of the young girl's relationship with her uncle, Richard III and later relationship with Henry VII. The Battle of Bosworth not only decided who would be King of England, but most likely who would marry Elizabeth. As said before, Richard was rumored to be courting his young niece. How true is this though? The only real evidence of Richard planning a wedding for Elizabeth comes not from England, but from Portugal. The royal records there suggest negotiations for Richard to marry a Portuguese Princess, and Elizabeth to marry a Portuguese Prince. Richard also had Elizabeth (along with her missing brothers) declared illegitimate. When Henry VII gained power, he had the ruling reversed, then married her. Elizabeth was much closer to the throne than Henry. Because of this, Henry stated he was ruling not by birthright, but by the fact that he conquered England. Thus, he didn't have to share power with his royal wife as joint rulers. But what about Elizabeth's feelings in the whole matter? Many novels portray her as being in love with her uncle, and terrified of Henry VII. Sadly, no authentic records of her feelings survive.

She did join Richard in court and seemed to be happy. Her mother, however, was not. She and Richard had never gotten along. He, like many in England, did not see her rank as befitting that of a Queen (she was a lowly Lord's daughter who, like Anne Boleyn years later, said "no" to a king's sexual advances...which resulted in marriage). Many saw her as a cunning witch, including Richard. ﻿ Young Henry VII ﻿ She began scheming behind Richard's back with Margaret Beaufort (Henry VII's mother). The two decided that if Henry invaded England and took the crown, he would marry Elizabeth. Elizabeth did end up marrying him, but of course, there are no records of her reaction. The marriage, whether Elizabeth wanted it or not, was a successful one. The couple had several children together and seemed happy. Henry seemed to have genuienly loved Elizabeth and did not remarry after she died from a part-partum infection. Now that the few sparse facts have been provided, what do you think? Was Elizabeth of York, like so many women of her time, a political pawn?

Or, in true Tudor Tart fashion, the young lover of Richard and the unwilling bride of Henry VII? Elizabeth of York Biography (Royalty) Birthplace: Westminster, England Best known as: Henry VIII's mother Elizabeth of York was the wife of England's King Henry VII and royal consort from 1486 until her death, and the mother of King Henry VIII . She was the eldest daughter of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, born at Westminster and educated to be a future royal wife. Edward IV died unexpectedly in 1483, leaving his son (Elizabeth's brother) as king, with his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as his son's "protector." As it turned out, Richard put Edward's two sons in the Tower of London and they disappeared, presumably murdered. Richard, Elizabeth's uncle, became King Richard III and, they say, had plans to marry her after his first wife died. But Henry of the Tudor house, urged on by Elizabeth's mother, took the throne from Richard III after a battle in 1485 that killed Richard, and Henry married Elizabeth in 1486, a few months after his coronation.

After their first son was born, Elizabeth was coronated as queen in November of 1487. Although her bloodline claim to the throne was stronger than her husband's, Elizabeth stayed out of politics. Despite their arranged marriage, Elizabeth and Henry had a good relationship, and she was a devoted mother. Together they had seven children, and her son Henry went on to succeed his father, as Henry VIII. She died on her 37th birthday, after having given birth to a daughter, Katherine, who also died. Extra credit: Elizabeth of York is sometimes said to be the inspiration for the image of the queen in a standard deck of playing cards… Prior to her marriage to Henry, Elizabeth was betrothed to others at least three times, including her uncle, Richard III. Copyright © 1998-2017 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved. Advertisement Advertisement Elizabeth of York | The White Queen Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The White Queen Wiki Share Elizabeth of York was Queen consort of England from 1486 until 1503.

Throughout her lifetime, she was the daughter of King Edward IV , the sister of Edward V, the niece of Richard III , and wife of Henry VII . She was also the mother of Henry VIII, as well as grandmother of his children Mary I, Elizabeth I and Edward VI. She is also the most recent common ancestor of all English monarchs. Historical Backround Edit She was born at the Palace of Westminster, the eldest child of King Edward IV and his Queen consort, Elizabeth Woodville . In 1483, Edward IV died and Elizabeth's younger brother, Edward V, became King. Her uncle, Richard,Duke of Gloucester, was appointed regent and protector of his nephews.Shortly after his brother's death, Gloucester began taking steps to isolate his nephews from their Woodville relations. Edward V was placed in the royal residence of the Tower of London, ostensibly for his protection. Elizabeth Woodville fled with her younger son, Richard, and her daughters into sanctuary in Westminster Abbey.

Gloucester requested Richard go to the Tower to keep his brother company and Elizabeth Woodville agreed.Two months later, on 22 June 1483, Edward IV's marriage was declared invalid (Edward, it was claimed, had at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville already been betrothed to Lady Eleanor Butler); this made the children of the marriage bastards and ineligible for the succession. Parliament issued a bill, Titulus Regius ("The Title of the King"), in support of this position: it legally bastardised the children of Edward IV, and declared Gloucester the rightful king. Gloucester then ascended the throne as Richard III on 6 July 1483, and Edward V and his brother disappeared shortly afterwards. Soon rumors began to spread that they had been murdered. Elizabeth's mother, Elizabeth Woodville, made an alliance with Margaret Beaufort , mother of Henry Tudor, who had the closest claim to royalty of those in the Lancastrian party.

Although Henry was descended from King Edward III, his claim to the throne was weak, due to the clause barring ascension to the throne by any heirs of the legitimized offspring of his great-great-grandparents, John of Gaunt (3rd son of King Edward III) and Katherine Swynford. Despite this, his mother and Elizabeth Woodville agreed Henry should move to claim the throne, and once he had taken it, he would marry Woodville's daughter, Elizabeth of York, uniting the two rival Houses.In 1484, Elizabeth and her family left Westminster Abbey and returned to Richard III's court. It was rumoured that he intended to marry her: his wife, Anne Neville , was dying and they had no surviving children.However, on 7 August 1485, Henry and his army landed in Wales and began marching inland. On 22 August 1485, Henry and Richard fought the Battle of Bosworth Field. Richard, despite having the larger army, was betrayed by some of his most powerful retainers and died in battle.

Henry took the crown by right of conquest as Henry VII.As the eldest daughter of Edward IV with no surviving brothers, Elizabeth had a strong claim to the throne in her own right – and may have been the rightful heir to the throne after the death of her uncle Richard III – but she did not rule as queen regnant.Henry acknowledged the necessity of marrying Elizabeth to secure the stability of his rule and weaken the claims of other surviving members of the House of York, but he insisted on being king due to a tenuous claim of inheritance from John of Gaunt, ruling in his own right, and not by his marriage to the heir of the House of York, and had no intention of sharing power.Henry had the Titulus Regius repealed, thereby relegitimising the children of Edward IV and acknowledged Edward V as his predecessor, since he did not want the legitimacy of his wife or her claim as heiress of Edward IV called into question.Henry and Elizabeth married on 18 January 1486. Despite being a political arrangement, the marriage proved successful and both partners appear to have cared for each other.

As queen, Elizabeth did not exercise much political influence, due to her strong-minded mother-in-law Lady Margaret Beaufort, but she was reported to be gentle and kind, and generous to her relations, servants and benefactors.On 14 November 1501, Elizabeth's eldest son, Arthur, married Katharine of Aragon, daughter of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, and the pair were sent to Ludlow Castle, traditional residence of the Prince of Wales. Five months later, Arthur died in April 1502. The news of Arthur's death caused Henry VII to break down in grief, as much in fear for his dynasty as mourning for his son. It is a testament to his love for Elizabeth – and her love for him – in the fact that she comforted him, telling him that he was the only child of his mother but had survived to become King, that God had left him with a son and two daughters and that they were both young enough to have more children.Elizabeth became pregnant once more, and in on 2 February 1503, Elizabeth gave birth to a girl named Catherine, but the child died a few days afterwards.

Succumbing to a post partum infection, Elizabeth died on 11 February, her 37th birthday. Her husband appeared to sincerely mourn her death; according to one account, he "privily departed to a solitary place and would no man should resort unto him". Despite his reputation for thrift, he gave her a splendid funeral; she lay in state in the Tower and was buried in Westminster Abbey, in the Lady Chapel Henry had built. 1000+ images about Elizabeth of York on Pinterest | Effigy, King henry and Edward iv Forward “Here lies Queen Elizabeth, daughter of the former King Edward IV, sister of the formerly appointed King Edward V, once the wife of King Henry VII, and the renowned mother of Henry VIII. She met her day of death in the Tower of London on the 11th day of February in the year of our Lord 1502 [Old Style dating], having fulfilled the age of 37 years” See More House Of Tudor Genealogy Chart & Family Tree House Of Tudor Genealogy Chart & Family Tree Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII It all began with her…. Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor and descendant of King Edward III.

Her descent was actually illegitimate, through Edward III’s son, John of Gaunt and his mistress Catherine Swynford. Though Gaunt later married Swynford and an act of government legitimized their children, they were expressly forbidden to inherit the throne by Gaunt’s legitimate son, King Henry IV. Margaret bore her only child, who became King Henry VII, at the age of thirteen. While the York and Lancaster branches of the royal family battled for the throne, her husband died and her brother-in-law fled to Brittany with the young Henry. His long exile ended on 15 August 1485 when King Richard III was defeated at Bosworth Field. The Plantagenet dynasty, having ruled England since 1154, ended in strife and the Tudor dynasty began. Click here to view a .bmp (bitmap) image of a Tudor family tree . I apologize for the blurry text; I’m searching out a better scan. Below is a more detailed text genealogy.

Henry Tudor, earl of Richmond; later titled King Henry VII son of Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort born 28 January 1457 at Pembroke Castle, Wales claimed title of Henry VII, king of England c.1484 declared king 22 August 1485 at Battle of Redmoor Plain/Bosworth Field coronation 30 October 1485 at Westminster Abbey, London married to Elizabeth Plantagenet, princess of England, on 18 January 1486 at Westminster Abbey, London Eight Children with Elizabeth Plantagenet: Arthur, prince of Wales, born 20 September 1486 Margaret, born 28 November 1489 Henry VIII, king of England, born 28 June 1491 Elizabeth, born 2 July 1492; died 1495 Mary, born 18 March 1496 Edmund, duke of Somerset, born 21 February 1499; died 1500 Edward ?

Katherine, born and died 2 February 1503 died 22 April 1509 at Richmond Palace, Surrey buried at the Henry VII ‘Lady Chapel’, Westminster Abbey, London Princess Elizabeth Plantagenet, also called Elizabeth of York daughter of Edward IV, king of England & Queen Elizabeth Woodville born 11 February 1466 at Westminster Palace, London married to Henry VII, king of England, on 18 January 1486 at Westminster Abbey, London Eight Children Arthur, prince of Wales, born 20 September 1486 Margaret, born 28 November 1489 Henry VIII, king of England, born 28 June 1491 Elizabeth, born 2 July 1492; died 1495 Mary, born 18 March 1496 Edmund, duke of Somerset, born 21 February 1499; died 1500 Edward ?

Katherine, born and died 2 February 1503 coronation 25 November 1487 at Westminster Abbey, London died 11 February 1503 at Tower of London, London buried at the Henry VII ‘Lady Chapel’, Westminster Abbey, London Prince Arthur of Wales born 20 September 1486 at St.

Swithin’s Priory, Winchester titled Prince of Wales 27 February 1490, Westminster Palace, London married to Princess Katharine of Aragon on 14 November 1501 at St.Paul’s Cathedral, London died 2 April 1502 at Ludlow Castle, Shropshire buried at Worcester Cathedral Princess Margaret Tudor; later titled queen of Scots born 28 November 1489 at Westminster Palace, London married to James Stuart, titled King James IV of Scotland, 8 August 1503 at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh titled Queen of Scotland 8 August 1503 at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh Six Children with King James IV of Scotland: James of Rothesay, duke of Rothesay, born 21 February 1507 daughter, born 15 July 1508 Arthur, duke of Rothesay, born 20 October 1509 James, later King James V of Scotland, born 15 April 1512 daughter, born November 1512 Alexander, duke of Ross, born 30 April 1514 widowed 1513 married

 to Archibald Douglas, 6th earl of Angus, on 4 August 1514 at Kinnoul Church One Child with Archibald Douglas: Margaret, Lady Douglas, born 1515 divorced 1528 married to Henry Stewart, Lord Methven I, on 3 March 1528 One Child with Henry Stewart: Lady Dorothea Stewart, born ?

Go to the Scottish genealogy page.

Prince Henry Tudor, duke of York; later titled King Henry VIII born 28 June 1491 at Greenwich Palace, London titled King of England 24 June 1509 at Westminster Abbey, London married to Katharine of Aragon, princess of Spain, on 11 June 1509 at Grey Friars Church, Greenwich Six Children with Katharine of Aragon: daughter, born 31 January 1510 Henry (1), duke of Cornwall, born 1 January 1511 Henry (2), duke of Cornwall, born November 1513 son, born December 1514 Mary, later titled Mary I, queen of England, born 18 February 1516 daughter, born 10 November 1518 marriage annulled 1533 married to Anne Boleyn, marquess of Pembroke, on 25 January 1533 at Westminster, London Three Children with Anne Boleyn: Elizabeth I, queen of England, born 7 September 1533 Henry, duke of Cornwall, born 1534 son, born 29 January 1536 marriage

 annulled 1536 married to Jane Seymour on 20 May 1536 One Child with Jane Seymour: Edward, later titled Edward VI, king of England, born 12 October 1537 at Hampton Court Palace widowed 24 October 1537 at Hampton Court Palace married to Anne of Cleves on 6 January 1540 at Greenwich Palace marriage annulled 1540 married to Catherine Howard on 28 July 1540 at Hampton Court Palace marriage annulled 1541 married to Katharine Parr on 12 July 1543 at Hampton Court Palace died 28 January 1547 at Whitehall Palace, London buried at St.

George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle mistresses Elizabeth Blount, called Bessie Blount One child with Elizabeth Blount: Henry Fitzroy, duke of Richmond, born 1519 Go to the Stafford/Blount/Fitzroy genealogy page. Princess Mary Tudor, queen of France and duchess of Suffolk born 18 March 1496 at Richmond Palace, Surrey married to King Louis XII of France on 9 October 1514 at Abbeville Cathedral, France widowed 1514 married to Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, on 3 March 1515 in Paris Three Children Henry, earl of Lincoln, born 11 March 1515 Frances, born 16 July 1517 Eleanor, born 1519 died 25 June 1533 at Westhorpe Hall, Suffolk buried at St. Mary’s Church, Bury St.

Edmunds Katharine of Aragon, princess of Spain last child of Ferdinand of Aragon, king of Spain & Isabella, queen of Castle born 15 December 1485 at Alcala de Henares, Madrid married to Arthur, prince of Wales, on 14 November 1501 at St.

Paul’s Cathedral, London widowed 2 April 1502 at Ludlow Castle, Shropshire married to Henry VIII, king of England, on 11 June 1509 at Grey Friars Church, Greenwich Six Children daughter, born 31 January 1510 Henry (1), duke of Cornwall, born 1 January 1511 Henry (2), duke of Cornwall, born November 1513 son, born December 1514 Mary I, queen of England, born 18 February 1516 daughter, born 10 November 1518 marriage annulled 1533 died 7 January 1536 at Kimbolton Castle buried at Peterborough Cathedral Anne Boleyn, marquess of Pembroke born about 1501/2 or 1507 at Blickling Hall, Norfolk titled marquess of Pembroke on 1 September 1532 married to Henry VIII, king of England, on 25 January 1533 at Westminster Abbey, London Three Children Elizabeth I, queen of England, born 7 September 1533 Henry, duke of Cornwall,

 born 1534 son, born 29 January 1536 marriage annulled 1536 Queen Elizabeth of York (1466-1503) [Elizabeth Plantagenet; England Under the Tudors] QUEEN ELIZABETH OF YORK (1466-1503): Queen Consort of Henry VII The events of Elizabeth of York's early life have already been detailed in the biography of her mother, queen Elizabeth Woodville .

The Dauphin, Charles, heir of Louis XI, king of France, was betrothed to this princess royal of England, 1475. Although the match never took place, it secured to her a good education; she was taught to speak and write French well; likewise, Edward IV sent for a scrivener from the city, who taught the princess to write court hand as well as himself. Moreover, the king amplified the state of his daughter's establishment with a portion of the tribute Louis paid him for keeping the peace; and when the contract was ratified in 1480, Elizabeth was called madame la Dauphine, and served in great state. Her warlike sire fell ill in 1483, and Louis XI, trusting that Edward IV would be incapacitated from invading France, broke the treaty by wooing Mary of Burgundy for his son. Elizabeth's father and only protector dying the ensuing April, terrible reverses befel his family. From Westminster palace Elizabeth, her sisters, and her brother Richard were hurried into sanctuary in the adjoining abbey by their mother. The events which follow have been narrated [cf. Elizabeth Woodville ].

How much the subsequent murders afflicted Elizabeth may be gathered from the words of the blind poet-laureate of her court, Bernard Andreas. "The love," he says, "Elizabeth bore her brothers was unheard of, and almost incredible." The betrothment, privately negotiated between Elizabeth of York and Henry of Richmond , by their mothers [ Elizabeth Woodville and Margaret Beaufort ], was the first gleam of comfort that broke on the royal prisoners in sanctuary after the murder of the innocent princes in the Tower. The young princess promised to hold faith with her betrothed: in case of her death before her contract was fulfilled, her next sister Cicely, was to take her place. Owing to the utter failure of Buckingham 's insurrection, the situation of Elizabeth of York and her mother became quite irksome. Soldiers, commanded by John Nesfield, a suire of Richard III 's guard, watched night and day round the abbey, and reduced them to great distress. Thus they struggled through the sad winter of 1483, but surrendered themselves in March.

The princess was forced to own herself the illegitimate child of Edward IV ; she had to accept a wretched annuity, and, as a favour, was permitted to contemplate the prospect of marrying one William Stillington. She was separated from her unfortunate mother when they left sanctuary, and received at court by Richard III: his queen, [ Anne Neville ], her near relative, was kind to her. Here she found her father's old friend, Lord Stanley , in an office of great authority at Westminster palace, as steward of the royal household, a place he held in the reign of Edward IV. This nobleman was step-father to Henry of Richmond, the betrothed husband of the princess Elizabeth; his wife was exiled then, in disgrace with the usurper, for having projected the union of her son with Elizabeth. In fact, Margaret Beaufort had been her state governess, and she had lived with her and Stanley from her earliest years. Very soon the young princess began, when she found lord Stanley alone, to speak to him by the name of "father Stanley," and to entreat his help.

Lord Stanley, scarcely then well from the battle-axe blow he had shared with the oak table in the Tower, at Richard III's terrible council of June 13, was alarmed and reluctant to stir against the usurper. The tears and swooning of Elizabeth at the end of her fruitless appeal to him caused him to explain that he feared if he stirred for her he should lose his life with her talking about it, and that as he could not write he was not able to summon his friends without leaving his court office, which would rouse the tyrant's suspicions. Elizabeth assured him of her secrecy, and said she could write for him in as good a hand as the scrivener who taught her. Finally he came at ten that night, with his squire, Brereton, in disguise, to the apartments allotted her at Westminster palace.

Elizabeth then wrote at his dictation to his brother, sir William Stanley, who had been her dear brother's lord-steward at Ludlow, his and and heir, Lord Strange, at Latham house, to sir James and sir Edward Stanley of Manchester, to the brave sir Gilbert Talbot, and sir John Savage, at Sheffield castle, telling them the time was ripe to stir and rise, and to come disguised as Kendal merchants from the north, to the old inn at Islington called the Eagle, where they would see an eagle's foot chalked on the shutter, and he would meet them and consult. Elizabeth having read the letters to lord Stanley, he took out his seal, carefully sealed them, and consigned them to his trusty squire, Brereton, who departed for Cheshire with them. On Brereton's return the princess went with her "father Stanley" in disguise to the old suburb inn, and there they found the valiant scions of Stanley, Talbot and Savage, all ready to risk their lives for her if she would promise to complete her engagement with Henry, earl of Richmond, then an exile in Brittany.

Elizabeth forthwith wrote a letter to her betrothed; trusty Brereton departed with it for Rennes. Henry was grandson to John of Gaunt by an illegitimate wedlock, grandson of queen Katharine of Valois , of the French blood royal, and, what was better worthy attention, the representative of the ancient line of British kings, a claim excessively popular just then in the English south-west counties as well as in Wales. Although he was in love with another young lady, and had never seen the fair Elizabeth, a very favourable answer was returned by Henry, and Brereton delivered it safely. Fortune had changed once more with the fair heiress of York, her little cousin, Edward of Gloucester, died a few months after the murder of her loved brother, leaving the usurper childless. The queen, her aunt, struck with mortal grief, was evidently drooping to the tomb; and all her uncles hateful partisans loudly declared that their royal master ought to wed his niece. Anne of Warwick did not believe that Elizabeth wished for this disposal of her hand, although she herself knew the report, and dreaded lest she should be murdered to leave her husband free.

Yet she sent for her niece in early spring, 1484-5, and gave her the place of honour at her side at a grand festival. Before March was spent, the unfortunate queen of Richard had expired. The indignation of the English people kept Richard II from outraging humanity by forcing an early marriage with his niece. By way of punishment for her aversion he shut her up with Clarence 's son, the young earl of Warwick, in the strongest and most gloomy castle in Yorkshire, Sheriff Hutton. No one in London knew where she was. However, the population of the adjacent counties thronged the gates of Sheriff Hutton, with the news of Richard III's fall, and the heiress of York was brought to Leicester the very evening of the victory. Elizabeth witnessed the entry of the triumphant army. She met the corpse of the tyrant on its way towards the Grey Friars he had founded, to be interred. She is said to have exclaimed, "Uncle, how like you now the slaughtering of my brethren dear?" She found herself surrounded by her friends of the house of Stanley, and in a day or two was conducted to her mother, and installed in the royal apartments of Westminster palace.

Henry, on the day of victory, September 3, had been crowned with Richard III's crown, found in a hawthorn bush on Bosworth field, and greeted by the acclamations of the whole army as Henry VII . He arrived in London a few days after, and renewed at the bishop of London's palace at St. Paul's, before the privy council, his vow to marry Elizabeth of York. But his coronation took place, October 30, without any allusion to the title he derived from her, and from that hour the discontents of the Yorkists began. Elizabeth suffered no little uneasiness, as well as the people. One thing was certain, rendering royal marriages and festivals nearly impossible; there was not one penny in the royal purse.

Near Christmas the House of Commons, when granting Henry VII the usual royal supplies called tonnage and poundage, added a petition, "that he would please to take the princess Elizabeth to wife," and when this was read every member of the assembled houses of parliament rose and bowed to the king, who answered "that he was most willing so to do." From that day Elizabeth of York was treated as queen consort, but she never had the slightest recognition as queen regnant, either by her husband, his government, or even by the warmest partisans of the line of York. Henry and Elizabeth were married January 18, 1485-6, at Westminster abbey, by their kinsman Cardinal Bourchier , Archbishop of Canterbury, "by whose hand," says a quaint chronicler, "was first tied together the sweet posy of the red and white roses." Elizabeth, very soon after the marriage, gave hopes of offspring that would unite the rival lines. She retired to the city of Winchester to pass the summer, holding her court there, surrounded by her sisters, her mother, and her mother-in-law, Margaret of Richmond , for whom she appears to have cherished the greatest esteem.

Henry VII wished his wife to give birth to his heir in the castle, because tradition declared it was built by King Arthur, his ancestor. Prince Arthur Tudor was born there, September 20, 1486. The health of the queen, it appears, was always delicate, and she suffered much from ague that autumn. Her mother-in-law, lady Margaret, busied herself greatly at this time; for, besides regulating the etiquette of the royal lying-in chamber, she likewise arranged the pageantry of the young prince's baptism. Elizabeth of York had the satisfaction of seeing her mother distinguished by the honour of standing godmother for this precious heir. The king, according to ancient custom, sat by the queen's bed-side, ready to give with her their united blessing as the concluding ceremony of the royal baptism, which took place in Winchester cathedral. The next year a rebellion broke out in behalf of the earl of Warwick, who was impersonated by a youth named Lambert Simnel . It was but a few months since the queen and young Warwick had been companions at Sheriff Hutton: the public had since lost sight of him, and this rebellion was evidently got up to make the king own what had become of him.

He had been kept quietly in the Tower, from whence, to prove the imposition of Lambert Simnel, he was now brought in grand procession through the city to Shene, where he had lived in the life of Edward IV, with Elizabeth of York, and her young brothers and sisters. The queen received him with several noblemen, and conversed with him; but he was found to be very stupid, not knowing the difference between the commonest objects. Henry very magnanimously forgave Lambert Simnel, and with good-humoured ridicule promoted him to be turnspit in his kitchen at Westminster, and afterwards made him one of his falconers. This act of grace was in honour of Elizabeth's approaching coronation. She preceded the king to London, and on the 3rd of November, 1487, she sat in a window at St. Mary's hospital Bishopsgate-street, in order to have a view of his triumphant entry into the metropolis, in honour of the victory of Stoke over the rebels. The queen then went with Henry to their palace at Greenwich .

On the Friday preceding her coronation she went from London to Greenwich, royally attended on the broad-flowing Thames to the Tower, where, when she landed, the king received her. The Londoners were anxious to behold her in her royal apparel. She must have been well worth seeing: she had not completed her twenty-second year, her figure was tall, elegant, and majestic, her complexion brilliantly fair. The royal apparel consisted of a kirtle of white cloth of gold, damasked, and a mantle of the same, furred with ermine, finished with rich knobs of gold and tassels. On her fair yellow hair hanging at length down her back, she wore a crest of gems, and a rich crown. Thus attired, she quitted her chamber of state, her train borne by her sister Cicely, who was still fairer than herself. The king resolved that Elizabeth should possess the public attention solely that day: he therefore ensconced himself in a closely-latticed box, erected between the altar and the pulpit in Westminster abbey, where he remained with his mother, hidden during the whole ceremony.

The queen's mother was not present, but her son Dorset, who had undergone imprisonment in the Tower on suspicion during the earl of Lincoln's revolt, was liberated, and permitted to assist at his sister's coronation. November, 1489, previously to the birth of her daughter Margaret , the queen performed the ceremony of taking her chamber at Westminster palace, which was partly a religious service. The royal infant was born November 29th. She was named Margaret, after the king's mother, and that noble lady, as godmother, presented the babe with a silver box full of gold pieces. At the christening festival, a play was performed before the king and queen in the white hall of Westminster palace. The queen's second son, Henry, afterwards Henry VIII , was born at Greenwich palace . June 28, 1491. He was remarkable for his great strength and robust health from his infancy. During the retirement of the queen to her chamber previously to the birth of her fourth child, the death of her mother Elizabeth Woodville , occurred: the royal infant proving a girl was named Elizabeth, in memory of its grandmother.

Towards the close of 1492 commenced the rebellion in behalf of Perkin Warbeck , who personated Richard duke of York, the queen's brother, second son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. The remaining years of the century were involved in great trouble to the king, the queen, and the whole country; the lord chamberlain, sir William Stanley (brother to the king's father-in-law), was executed, with little form of justice. The bodies of the queen's brothers were vainly sought for at the Tower, in order to disprove the claims of the impostor; and when the queen's tender love for her own family is remembered, a doubt cannot exist but that her mental sufferings were acute at this crisis. Elizabeth was in 1495 so deeply in debt, that her consort found it necessary, after she had pawned her plate for 500l., to lend her 2000l. to satisfy her creditors. Whoever examines the privy-purse expenses of this queen will find that her life was spent in acts of beneficence to the numerous claimants of her bounty.

She loved her own sisters; they were destitute, but she could not bear that princesses of the royal line of York should be wholly dependent on the English noblemen (who had married them dowerless) for the food they ate and the raiment they wore: she allowed them all, while single, an annuity of 50l. per annum for their private expenses, and paid to their husbands annuities for their board of 120l. each, besides perpetual presents. In her own person she was economical: when she needed pocket-money, sums as low as 4s. 4d. at a time were sent from her accountant, Richard Decons, by one of her ladies, to put in her purse. Then her gowns were mended, turned, and new-bodied: they were newly-hemmed when beaten out at the bottom, for which her tailor was paid 2d.

She wore shoes which only cost 12d., with latten or tin buckles; but the rewards she proffered to her poor affectionate subjects, who brought her trifling offerings of early peas, cherries, chickens, bunches of roses, and posies of other flowers, were very high in proportion to what she paid for her own shoes. The royal children were reared at Shene. The queen lost her little daughter Elizabeth in September, 1495: this infant, if her epitaph may be trusted, was singularly lovely in person. There was no peace for England till after the execution of the adventurous boy who took upon himself the character of the queen's brother. For upwards of two years Henry VII spared the life of Perkin, but inspired with a spirit of restless daring, which showed as if he came "one way of the great Plantagenets," this youth nearly got possession of the Tower, and implicated the unfortunate earl of Warwick, his fellow-captive, in his schemes. Perkin, after undergoing many degradations, was hanged at Tyburn, November 16, and the less justifiable execution of the earl of Warwick followed.

This last prince of the name of Plantagenet was beheaded on Tower hill, November 28, 1499. A dreadful plague broke out in England after this event, when Henry VII, fearing lest the queen should be among its victims, took her out of the country, in May, to Calais for more than a month. She entertained the archduke Philip of Austria most royally while she remained at Calais. A marriage between her beautiful little daughter Mary , and Charles, afterwards the great emperor Charles V , was agreed upon at this time, and the marriage-treaty between Arthur prince of Wales and the youngest daughter of Spain, Katharine of Arragon , was concluded. The following January the queen presided at the betrothment of her eldest daughter Margaret with James IV of Scotland , performed in her palace and chapel of Shene, and publicly celebrated and announced at St. Paul's cathedral. Henry and Elizabeth were at Greenwich palace when the news arrived of their heavy loss. The king's confessor was deputed by the privy council to break the sad news to him.

Before his usual time the priest knocked at the king's chamber-door, and when admitted he requested all present to quit the room, saying in Latin, as he approached, "If we receive good from the hand of God, shall we not patiently sustain the ill he sends us?"—"He then showed his grace that his dear son Arthur was departed to God. When the king understood those sorrowful heavy tidings, he sent for the queen, saying, 'that he and his wife would take their painful sorrow together.' After she was come and saw the king her lord in his deep grief, she with pious words besought him that he would, after God, consider the weal of his own noble person, of his realm, and of her. 'And,' added the queen, 'remember that my lady, your mother, had never no more children but you only, yet God by his grace has ever preserved you, and brought you where you are now. Over and above, God has left you yet a fair prince and two fair princesses, and God is still where he was, and we are both young enough.

As your grace's wisdom is renowned all over Christendom, you must now give proof of it by the manner of taking this misfortune.'" In August, 1502, Elizabeth made a progress towards the borders of Wales, to visit and offer at Arthur's tomb. Her accounts at this time show tender remembrances of her family; she clothed an old woman who had been nurse to her brother, Edward V , and rewarded a man who had shown hospitable attention to her uncle Earl Rivers , in his distress at Pontefract, just before his execution. The queen's seventh confinement was expected in February, 1502-3/ The accouchement was to take place at the royal apartments of the Tower of London, and all things were prepared there for her reception. After Christmas the queen was with her ladies rowed by her bargeman, Lewis Walter, and his watermen, in a great boat from Richmond to Hampton Court. She stayed there eight days. Hampton Court was a favourite reside of Elizabeth of York long before cardinal Wolsey had possession of it, for in the spring of this year there is a notation that she was residing there.

She was, with her ladies, finally rowed by Lewis Walter and his crew from Richmond to the Tower, very late in January. Her finances were low, for she borrowed 10l. of one of the king's gentlemen-ushers, in order to pay the officers of the Mint their fees, which they craved as customary on account of a royal residence at the Tower. On Candlemas day, February 2, the queen brought into the world a princess, who was named Katherine. The fatal symptoms which threatened Elizabeth's life afterwards must have been wholly unexpected, since the physician on whom the king depended for her restoration to health was absent at his dwelling-house beyond Gravesend. The king sent for this person, but it was in vain that Dr. Hallyswurth travelled through the night, with guides and torches, to the royal patient in the Tower: the fiat had gone forth, and the gentle, the pious Elizabeth expired February 11, 1502-3, the day she completed her thirty-seventh year. The king was overwhelmed with grief and consternation; he retired into the deepest seclusion, permitting no one to speak to him on any business whatsoever.

When the news of Elizabeth's decease spread through the city the utmost sorrow was manifested among all ranks of her subjects. The bells of St. Paul's tolled dismally, and were answered by those of every church and religious house in the metropolis or its neighbourhood. Meantime the queen was embalmed at the Tower. The day after her demise being Sunday, her corpse was removed from the chamber where she died to the chapel within the Tower, under the steps of which then reposed, unknown to all, the bodies of her murdered brothers, Edward V and Richard duke of York. On the twelfth day after the queen's death her corpse was put in a carriage covered with black velvet, with a cross of white cloth of gold.

An image exactly representing her was placed in a chair above in her rich robes of state, her crown on her head, her hair about her shoulders, her sceptre in her right hand, her fingers well garnished with rings and precious stones, and at each end of the chair was a gentlewoman kneeling on the coffin, which was in this manner drawn by six horses, trapped with black velvet from the Tower to Westminster abbey, when the grave being hallowed by the bishop of London, the body was placed in it. Henry VII survived his consort seven years: his character deteriorated after her loss. The active beneficence of the royal Elizabeth had formed a counteracting influence to his avaricious propensities, since it was after her death he became notorious for his rapacity and miserly habit of hoarding money. He died in the spring of 1509, like his ancestors worn down with premature old age, and was laid by the side of his queen in the magnificent chapel at Westminster abbey which bears his name. Excerpted from: Strickland, Agnes. Lives of the Queens of England. London: Bell and Daldy, 1867. 173-181.

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Question: Elizabeth of York, the mother of Henry VIII, was the daughter of which king?
Answer: EDWARD IV